Bueller? Bueller?

Yes. I am present. Sorry for the long absence there!

The Bachelorette Weekend/Mommy Vacation was everything I expected, and even more epic (something I can say without a pang of guilt and hangover now that it's more than a week ago). Despite getting majorly intoxicated on Saturday night and having a painful four hour drive home by myself (made only tolerable by my wonderful husband putting the Hunger Games audiobook on my iPhone to keep me company - my second "reading"), I managed to come home feeling refreshed and very very happy to squeeze my baby in my arms. Everything was beautiful. The beachfront condo's ocean view was only slightly interrupted by paddle tennis courts, which I gather to be a strange hybrid between real, actual tennis and ping pong. Venice Beach itself was colorful and interesting, with the seemingly permanent scent of weed wafting through the windows and I accidentally (purposely) left my bathing suit at home, so I stuck to the boardwalk with its dozens of taco stands and souvenir shops.

On Saturday morning we all piled into an enormous hummer limo and took a winding and mountainous drive up the malibu coast. What did not occur to those of us organizing the activities was that the combination of winding roads and sideways limo sitting would give about 80% of our party carsickness, but we finally did all arrive at destination with only threats of grossness and everyone thought the ride was worth it. Although the wine left something to be desired (my opinion), the winery itself was so beautiful and pleasant that it really didn't matter. We were up high on a hill overlooking vines and mountains and our whole party managed to snag a whole section of adirondack chairs to relax in. We all got a little sun and and everyone had the chance to catch up and get to know one another. All of our celebrant's "groups" (high school, college, law school and family) managed to blend together well, and everyone got along and had a great time. Saturday night was very alcohol heavy (for some of us) and ended with a few grown up women reliving their college days in the bathroom. I think these kinds of things are such a great way for everyone attending a wedding to get to know each other beforehand, and this was no exception. I'm even more excited to head out to Chicago for the wedding in just a few weeks, and see everyone again! (Missed you, LL!!) Happily, I was not the only Mom there, but I was the only Mom who felt the need to relive her college days.

I came home to a sick baby, through no real fault of her Papa's. I took her to the pediatrician a couple of days later when it didn't seem like she was getting any better. It turns out, she's got strep and is on her 4th day of antibiotics. She really started feeling much better after a couple of days. Luckily, my office did not complete its move on time, and our internet and my desk was not yet in its proper place, so I got to work from home all of last week. Mia got to convalesce in her own room and crib, and I got to stay in my yoga pants all day. We were briefly afraid that B and I both had strep too (our pediatrician took a quick look at both our throats and sent us immediately to the minute clinic next door to get tested), but our mutual 20 minutes of illness was just psychosomatic, and we were both completely clear and told to take allergy medicine. Despite an unfortunate incident of hot oil splattering and burning the left side of my face and ear (it's not as bad as it sounds, I have two small burns on my jaw line and two tiny burns on my ear), we managed to have an uneventful end of the week

By Sunday, everyone was feeling well enough to bundle up in this 50 degree Las Vegas weather and brave the not so cold Cubs spring training game. Every year, our beloved Cubs (I lived 3 blocks from Wrigley back in the Chi) play a weekend at Cashman Field. We went last year when I was hugely pregnant and hugely hot, and this year we returned with our almost 10 month old in tow, completely covered in fleece. It was still fun though, and although Mia did not look at the field once, she did manage to make a few friends. The game was as every spring training game is - not exciting - but Jake Pavelka (the Bachelor 2 seasons ago, as I had to explain to everyone in the seats around us) did come and throw out the first pitch, which was certainly worth the ticket price.

Today, I am back to the realities of working in an office, which I did manage to miss a little in my weeklong work at home stint. I am about halfway unpacked, and I was only slightly annoying asking our two men of the office to please turn my desk just one more time. I have to briefly mention that Mondays are no longer my favorite day of the week since the Bachelor is over and the Bachelorette doesn't start up until MAY, I will try to get by and make sure that I start scheduling other fun things to look forward to. This week, on Thursday another installment of Wine Tasting with Grown ups, when Juliet Cap and I leave our kiddos with our husbands and drink (and learn about) some vino!